e youth's own experience was
unequal to the exigency; and now, when, the fate of Latimer seeming
worse than doubtful, Alan's whole prudence and energy were to be exerted
in his behalf, an adventure which might have seemed perilous to most
youths of his age had no terrors for him. He was well acquainted with
the laws of his country, and knew how to appeal to them; and, besides
his professional confidence, his natural disposition was steady, sedate,
persevering, and undaunted. With these requisites he undertook a quest
which, at that time, was not unattended with actual danger, and had much
in it to appal a more timid disposition.

Fairford's first inquiry concerning his friend was of the chief
magistrate of Dumfries, Provost Crosbie, who had sent the information
of Darsie's disappearance. On his first application, he thought he
discerned in the honest dignitary a desire to get rid of the subject.
The provost spoke of the riot at the fishing station as an 'outbreak
among those lawless loons the fishermen, which concerned the sheriff,'
he said, 'more than us poor town council bodies, that have enough to do
to keep peace within burgh, amongst such a set of commoners as the town
are plagued with.'

'But this is not all, Provost Crosbie,' said Mr. Alan Fairford; 'A young
gentleman of rank and fortune has disappeared amongst their hands--you
know him. My father gave him a letter to you--Mr. Darsie Latimer.'

'Lack-a-day, yes! lack-a-day, yes!' said the provost; 'Mr. Darsie
Latimer--he dined at my house--I hope he is well?'

'I hope so too,' said Alan, rather indignantly; 'but I desire more
certainty on that point. You yourself wrote my father that he had
disappeared.'

'Troth, yes, and that is true,' said the provost. 'But did he not go
back to his friends in Scotland? it was not natural to think he would
stay here.'

'Not unless he is under restraint,' said Fairford, surprised at the
coolness with which the provost seemed to take up the matter.

'Rely on it, sir,' said Mr. Crosbie, 'that if he has not returned to his
friends in Scotland, he must have gone to his friends in England.'

'I will rely on no such thing,' said Alan; 'if there is law or justice
in Scotland, I will have the thing cleared to the very bottom.'

'Reasonable, reasonable,' said the provost, 'so far as is possible; but
you know I have no power beyond the ports of the burgh.'

'But you are in the commission besides, Mr. Crosbie; a justice of peace